Instructions
Look at the general appearance of the Lakeland Terrier. This breed is from the northern English Lake district. Its narrow body forms a small, square build that is quite sturdy. The dog is quite well put together, starting with a long neck, leading high shoulders and a short back, ending with the Terrier’s high-set tail.
Check that the size of this breed conforms to the substance. The males 14 ½ inches at the shoulders and females are 13 ½ to 14 inches at the shoulders. Both sexes weigh about 17 pounds. Females tend to be a bit longer in body than males.
Make sure the head and features are proportionate to the rest of the dog. The head is rectangular and the length of the skull and muzzle are equal to each other. The nose is black--though some dogs may have a nose with faded pigment. The smallish eyes are a bit oval and set quite wide apart. They can be a dark hazel to brown in color in liver or liver and tan colored dogs, but are brown to black in any other color dog. The v-shaped ears are small.
Look at the long neck. It arches and widens slightly into the shoulders. The chest is somewhat narrow and quite deep. The front shoulders are angulated, and the long blade should be proportionate to the upper arm. The short legs are strong, and lead to round feet with compact toes. The tail is normally docked and is carried straight up and into a bit of a curve toward the head. The powerful rear thighs are quite muscled. The rear legs have some angulation to them, but not enough to affect the balance. The rear feet, like the front, are round with compact toes.
Pet the double coat. The undercoat is soft hidden discreetly under the outer coat. The hard outer coat is wiry and about a half-inch to an inch long. The outer hair may be straight or a bit wavy. The Lakeland Terrier may be blue, liver, black, wheat or red. Some dogs are marked with a saddle which runs from the back of the neck, down along the sides and up to the tail. Saddled dogs are usually wheat or tan with a blue, liver or black saddle. Sometimes the saddle may be mixed with red and either blue, liver or black.
How to Identify a Lakeland Terrier
The Lakeland Terrier, with its cheerful attitude, makes a good hunting companion and watchdog. It can be quite willful and determined--don’t mistake this characteristic for an argumentative personality. This breed is also great to have as a family companion, and loves children. Because of its willful ways, this breed needs extensive training--obedience classes are a great start. It is not a dog you can just leave in the back yard, as it may dig its way under the fence. Unlike most terriers, the Lakeland terrier is generally not dog aggressive.